andMr. McQuillan asked the Minister for Education whether a circular No. 7/62 was issued by his Department to vocational educational committees on 18th March 1962, drawing the attention of the committees to provisions of section 34 of the Offences Against the State Act, 1939 and appending a list of persons who have been convicted of a scheduled offence by the Special Criminal Court.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Special Criminal Court Convictions.
23.
I would refer the Deputy to the official report of the proceedings of the House for 3rd May last in which the Minister for Justice dealt very fully with the circumstances in which a circular as in question was issued from the various Departments concerned.
In view of the fact that a person who is denied employment in these circumstances is very unlikely to get employment in private, would the Minister not agree with the description given of this circular by the former Chairman of the Fianna Fáil Parliamentary Party that it amounts to a deportation order? Would he consider that a fair description of this most malicious and vindictive circular?
Is it not a fact that if this odious Section 34 had been in operation 35 years ago, the entire Front Bench of Fianna Fáil would now be in Chicago where they would be——
I may tell the Deputy that it was enforced against us.
You would not be in this House at all.
You tell that to Dan O'Rourke.
Order. Question No. 24.
(Interruptions.)
It was you who brought the gun into Irish politics.